Former Post Falls Outlet Mall could fill up by summer as refashioned Tedder Business Center

The Post Falls Outlet Mall’s new life as the Tedder Business Center has drawn 10 new businesses recently. The complex, which was largely vacant until Tedder came along, is now owned by handgun holster manufacturer Tedder Industries.

Thomas Tedder acquired the outlet mall in January. At the time, there were three tenants in a 105,000-square-foot north building and the 70,000-square foot south building that now houses Tedder Industries.

Tedder, CEO of Tedder Industries, separately owns Tedder Properties, the holder of the 20-acre outlet mall property.

Tedder Business Center has nine vacant spaces with 44,275 square feet, said Debbie Hiatt, the center’s property manager.

Media accounts described the outlet mall as a “ghost town” in 2011 and 2014, but businesses have gravitated to the property since Tedder Industries arrived.

“We’ve never advertised it,” Tedder said. “As soon as we rent one (space), somebody is looking at another. “I expect for it to be filled up pretty quick, spring or summer.”

The new tenants are Wilderness Survival Store,  Hauser Lake Christian Ministries, Knowhere Comics, Scarlett’s Golf Experience (which moved from the Spokane Valley Mall), My Big Fat Greek Deli (yet to open), Costume Place Inc., Foxy Fix (the largest tenant at 13,500 square feet, other than Tedder Industries), an ACE Industrial Supply call center, 59: Escape Adventures, and 3 Ops Tactical.

The three businesses that preceded Tedder are L’Eggs Hanes, Oriental Gifts & and Food and Woodshop Products.

Tedder Industries has grown from 40 to 250 employees since moving from Arkansas to north Idaho in  2014. Tedder said staff numbers range from 200 to 250 over the course of the year.

Tedder Industries fills the entire south building with offices, manufacturing, injection moulding and machining, but Tedder does not expect to expand into the north building any time soon. About one-fourth of the building is used for storage.

“There is a lot of storage in the south building that can be moved off site,” Tedder said. “Tedder Industries should be good in the south building for at least a few years.”

Tedder believes Tedder Industries is the largest U.S. manufacturer of civilian handgun holsters. Its three lines are Alien Gear, Old Faithful and Big Foot.

The Post Falls Outlet Mall – which was formerly mostly vacant – continued its streak of new openings over the last month. Escape Adventures, SNR Costume Rentals and Ace Industrial Supply recently opened in the outlet mall. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press PLUS seven or eight more.